Recipes

Words of Encouragement from a Bacardi Legacy Semifinalist

Nadav Ariel's cocktail, FIRME, landed him a spot as one of Bacardi Legacy Isreal's top 3 semi-finalists.

“Go out and find a REAL job, then you will understand what it's like to work hard!”

I hear this line all the time when I'm behind behind the bar. Some people think that bartending is just a temporary job, or that it's just for fun; they really don’t know how much effort you have to put in order to become a bartender.

When I was 10 years old, my family had a guava tree that I really disliked. It had a strong scent that overpowered our entire balcony. One day, I went up to my dad and told him, "I hate this smell, it stinks!"

And he responded: "It doesn’t stink... it smells of success!"

In a way, these words stuck with me, and led me to grow up doing what I love most - some people just have a hard time accepting that. They believe you should be in a “daily grown-up job" because "that's how society works." They see chasing after our dreams as a "childish" act.

Well, I decided to go against the stream, to go on my own path regardless of what society says. I know how hard it can get: hours of preparations, long and late shifts, preserving consistency. . .

But, if you stand tall, and keep doing it, IT WILL PAY OFF!

It all has led to this, from the guava tree to my passion behind the bar. It all led me to be a part of Bacardi Legacy.

I crafted my cocktail for Bacardi Legacy with an ideology I want to send out to the whole world: "It is ok to go against the stream, it's ok to chase your dreams."

The FIRME:

60ml Bacardi Carta Oro - with a light taste and oaky finish

30ml guava juice - to pay homage to what inspired me, and to bring out fruity notes from the Bacardi.

30 ml rosemary honey - rosemary is one of the firmest herbs, and the honey is a long-lasting product.

30ml fresh lime juice - for a bit of acidity, and to compliment the citrus notes in the Carta Oro.

Perfumed with Arak – A Middle Eastern Anise spirit - a lot like Ouzo - that has a rebellious path of its own.

Shake, and strain into a tall glass filled with ice, and raise a toast to chasing our dreams on our unorthodox path!